This pumpkin cheesecake recipe is by far my favorite chocolate pumpkin dessert, it’s even better than pumpkin pie. This Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake is a smooth pumpkin cheesecake made with Hershey’s chocolate bar on the bottom, topped with pecans, and more chocolate syrup on top.
We already found out that pumpkin and caramel make an amazing pair when I made the Pumpkin Caramel Blondies. I was running some ideas by a friend to see what flavor combinations sounded good. I brought up pumpkin and chocolate and we both lit up. She even mentioned that when she was eating the pumpkin caramel blondies, she though about putting chocolate on it. So I knew that I had to make something with chocolate and pumpkin.
Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake
You may not believe it, but I have not made a pumpkin cheesecake before. I know, it’s shocking coming from someone who loves making cheesecakes, but it’s true. I’ve made pumpkin cheesecake pie, which is a pumpkin pie with cheesecake and it was great. This really was my first experience with pumpkin cheesecake.
It was an experiment and it turned out incredible! Chocolate and pumpkin are wonderful together and pecans make it extra special (but the pecans are optional).
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Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 5 tbs butter melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch ground nutmeg
- 4.4 oz chocolate bar broken in pieces
Cheesecake:
- 24 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tbsp corn starch
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground all spice
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Topping:
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- Chocolate syrup or hot fudge topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and grease a 9 inch springform pan.
Crust:
- Mix the ingredients for the crust, very well, until all evenly incorporated. (Not the chocolate pieces.) Press graham cracker mixture into the pan, evenly, all over the bottom and about half way up the side.
- Break up the chocolate bar and lay the chocolate pieces all over the crust, evenly.
Cheesecake:
- Start beating the cream cheese in a mixer, on medium-high speed, for about 2 minutes.
- Add the vanilla extract, sour cream, and pumpkin puree. Beat until completely combines. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Add the eggs, one at the time, beating after each addition. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Add sugar, spice and corn starch. Mix on low speed. Make sure that all ingredients are well combined.
- Pour the cheesecake batter into the pan with crust. Sprinkle chopped pecans over the top.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes.
- Take it out of the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes on the counter and then gently run a greased butter knife between sides of the cheesecakes and the springform to carefully separate it. (You don't actually have to take the cheesecake out of the pan until ready to frost.)
- Cool cheesecake for an hour and then place it in the refrigerator. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before servings.
- Drizzle chocolate syrup of hot fudge topping over the cheesecake when ready to serve. (If you put it on hot cheesecake, most of it will run off fast.)
Notes
Nutrition
More Pumpkin Inspiration:
Pumpkin Caramel Blondies
Biscoff Cookie Pumpkin Bread
Pumpkin Scones
Pumpkin Spice Swirl Bread
Originally posted on Will Cook For Smiles on September 22, 2013.
Amy says
Can you make you make it day ahead? Will it keep ok?
connie says
I did it, its delicious. Thanks for share this recipe.
Hugs,
Connie.
lyuba says
Awesome!! I’m so happy that you made it and I hope everyone enjoyed it 🙂
Thank you, Connie!
Joix says
This cheesecake has all the makings of a truly perfect Thanksgiving dessert. I made it yesterday for Thanksgiving. I am not sure if I did something wrong though. I followed the recipe instructions to a tee. When I cut in to the cheesecake, the crust layer was separate from the rest of the cheesecake. (I made sure to sufficiently spray the pan.) Also, I expected for the bars of Hershey’s chocolate to have melted, but they were still in tact. Any recommendations?
lyuba says
Hi Joix!
Actually, since the chocolates are kind of hugged by the cheesecake, they do melt but don’t incorporate with the filling. As the cheesecake cools and refrigerates, it does get solid again. What you can do, is use chocolate chips instead if you prefer and that way you will have smaller bites of chocolate.
I’m not sure why the crust separated, that never happened to me before. May be too many chocolates on the bottom.
One thing you can also do to prevent the crust from sticking to the pan is to cut out the exact round shape of the bottom of the springform out of parchment paper and place it in the springform, under the crust.
Cody says
This pumpkin cheese cake is very delicious